Film-cutting mechanism



United States Patent l33,673 12/1872 Searls lnventor Isidore DormanWhitestone, New York Appl. No. 823,261 Filed May 9, 1969 Patented Dec.8, 1970 Assignee NB Jackets Corporation Woodside, New York a corporationof New York FILM-CUTTING MECHANISM 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 83/542, 83/580, 83/590, 83/605, 83/610 Int. Cl. B26d 1/38, 826d5/08 Field of Search 83/542, 580, 589, 602,590, 605, 610

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-Frank T. YostAttorney-Michael Ebert ABSTRACT: A cutting mechanism for slicing a webof film into strips, the mechanism including a rigid platen having anaperture through which uncut film is extended. Cooperating with theplaten is a blade formed of flat spring metal, the blade being mountedon a rocker which, in its retracted or unraised position, lies in aplane parallel to the film below said platen, the blade extendingupwardly from the rocker and being angularly disposed with respect tothe, platen so that only the cutting edge thereof is in contacttherewith at a point below the film. When the rocker is raised by anoperating element, the blade then flexes and presses against the platenas it slides upwardly thereagainst, to slice the film. When theoperating element is withdrawn from the rocker, the spring tension onthe blade is released to cause the rocker to resume its initialretracted position.

PATENTED DEC 8 mm 'IIIHIIIHH.

IIIIIIIIIIIIII Anne/v03 1. FILM-CUTTING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OFINVENTION This invention relates generally to apparatus for cutting amicrofilm web into strips or individual film frames, and more BRIEFDESCRIPTION of DRAWING following'detailed description to be read inconjunction with particularly to a cutting mechanism which is of simpleand i highly efficient design.

In the handling of data, such as records, drawings, or other documentarymaterial, the modern practice is to photograph each item of data inreduced scale on microfilm. The use of such film conserves storage spaceand facilitates the transmission and retrieval of data.

When in roll form,ready access cannot be had to specific microfilmframes, and for this reason the film, in some instances, is sectionedinto individual frames for mounting in socalled aperture cards," in themanner disclosed, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,248,846. In otherinstances the film is cut into strips containing several frames. Thus inUS. Pat. No. 2,937,483, and in the copending Pat. application Ser. No.559,569, filed June 22, 1966, now US. Pat. No. 3,457,697, there aredisclosed means for sectioning a microfilm web into strips for insertionin the channels of a microfiche jacket.

In a typical film slicer, the blade reciprocates with reference to afixed platen against which it slides in a parallel plane to provide aguillotine action. In order to obtain a clean cut, the absence ofclearance between the blade and platen is essential, and yet one mustavoid excessive friction therebetween. Since the blade and platen areboth formed of relatively inflexible metal plates, the tolerancesnecessary to obtain optimum cutting conditionsare severe, and as theslicer proceeds to wear, the desiredtolerances are not maintained, andthe slicing action is degraded.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Accordingly, it is the main object ofthis invention toprovide aslicing mechanism for film, which is of simpleand efficient design, and which maintains optimum cutting conditions fora prolonged period.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide aslicing mechanism in which theblade is formed of flat spring metal, and,in the retracted position, lies at an angle with respect to aplatenhaving an aperture through which the film to be sliced extends,only the cutting edge of the blade touching the platen at a point belowthe film, the blade when actuated then resiliently pressing against theplaten and sliding thereagainst to effect the slicing action.

A significant feature of the invention is that upon completion of theslicing action, the spring tension produced by actuating the bladeserves to effect automatic retraction thereof when tension is released.

While the invention has been described in connection with the slicing ofa microfilm web to produce frames or strips for insertion in aperturecards or microfiche jackets, it is to be understood that the principlesunderlying the invention are applicable to the sectioning of any web ofmaterial, which need not necessarily be film material, but may be paper,plastic or any other sheetlike material.

Briefly stated, these objects are attained in a slicing mechanism inwhich a film web is guided in the horizontal plane through an aperturein a vertically disposed platen. Cooperating with the platen is a bladeformed of flat spring metal, the blade being mounted on a rocker whichin its initial or retracted position lies in the'horizontal plane belowthe platen and parallel to the film web, the blade extending upwardlyfrom the rocker and being angularly disposed with respect to the platenso that only the cutting edge thereof is in contact with the platen at apoint below the film.

. When an operating element acts to raise the rocker, the bladethenflexes and presses against the platen as it slides ups thereagainst toslice the film. When the operating element is withdrawn from the rocker,the spring tension on the blade is released to causethe rocker to resumeits initial retracting position.

the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutter mechanism in accordance withthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism in its retractedposition, prior to a cuttingaction;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mechanism in its fully raisedposition, after a cutting action; and

blade included in the mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION I Referring now to the drawing. the leadingportion of the :film 10 to be cut is guided along a horizontal trackwayl1 terminating in a vertical platen lZLformed of high-quality stainlesssteel or other suitable material. Platen 12 is provided with arectangular aperature 13 through which the advancing film passes.

Cooperating with platen 12 is a cutting blade 14 formed of I flat springmetal, the width of the blade being somewhat! greater than that ofaperture 13, whereby the sides of thes blade are slidable along thebanks of the aperture in a mannerl to be later described. 5

Blade 14 is removably mounted by screws 15 and 16 on the; upstandingbracket arm 17 formed at one end of a rocker 18,: the other end of whichis pivoted on trunnion 18A. In itsl retracted or initial position,rocker 18 lies in a horizontal? plane below the horizontal filmtrackway, the blade 14 mounted on bracket arm 17 extending upwardlytherefrom and being inclined relative to platen 12, whereby only thecutting edge 14A of the blade engages the platen at a point on theaperture below film 10.

The operating element for the rocker is in the form of a seesaw l9pivoted on a fulcrum 20, the seesaw having fingers 21 and 22 projectingfrom opposite ends thereof. Finger 21 lies below bracket arm 17 of therocker, while finger 22 is disposed in the orbital. path of a roller 23,eccentrically mounted on a wheel 24, driven by an electric motor 25.

Initially, in the conditionshown in FIG. 2, rocker 18 lies in thehorizontal plane andth e cutting edge 14A of the blade lies below thejunction of platen aperture 13 and the portion of lfilm 10 extendingtherethrough in readiness to be cut. The manner in which the film isadvanced for cutting, forms no part of the present invention. It will beappreciated, however, ithat in practice one may readily coordinate theoperation of :rnotor 25 with a film-advance mechanism to cause anadvance ito take place after each cutting action.

In the course of each revolution of wheel 24, roller 23 mounted thereonwill engage finger 22 on seesaw 19 and ride therealong to depress oneside of the seesaw and thereby elevating the other side thereof. As theother side rises, finger 21 thereon acts to raise rocker 18 in themanner shown in FIG. .3.

l Since blade 14 is angularly disposed toward platen 12, when ltheflexible blade is pushed upwardly by the rocker, it flexes 'whilepressing against the banks of aperture 13. The blade then performs afilm-cutting action when it reaches the junction of film 10 and theupperedge of aperture 13. At this point [the timing is such that roller 23disengages from finger 22, and

lfinger 21 retracts from the bracket arm 17.

Because of the spring tension developed in blade 14 when 3 While therehas been shown and described a preferred embodiment of film-cuttingmechanism in accordance with the .invention, it will be appreciated thatmany changes and modifications may be made therein without, however,departing from the essential spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A cutting mechanism for slicing a web of material into strips, saidmechanism comprising:

a. a web guide structure terminating in a platen having an aperturetherein through which the leading portion of the web is advanced;

b. a pivoted rocker adapted to swing from an initial to an activeposition;

c. a blade formed of resilient flat metallic material mounted on saidrocker at an angle to said platen at which the cutting edge of saidblade engages said platen at a point below the junction of said apertureand said web at the initial position of said rocker; and

d. and a retractable operating element cooperating with said rocker toraise it from said initial position to said active position to causesaid blade to flex and to press against said platen as it slidesthereagainst to cut said web, the

initial position when the operating element is retracted.

2. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein said web is a- 3. Amechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein said operating element is aseesaw, one end of which engages said rocker, and further includingmeans to depress the other end to cause said rocker to swing upwardly tothe active position.

4. A mechanism as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means ito depressthe seesaw is constituted by a rotating wheel having ;a roller mountedeccentrically thereon, the roller moving in an orbital path and engagingsaid other end of the seesaw once geach revolution of the wheel.

5. A mechanism as set forth in claim 1, wherein said blade is gremovablymounted on a bracket arm extending upwardly from one end of said rocker.

6. A mechanism as set forth in claim 5, wherein said one end ;of saidrocker is provided with a finger which lies under said bracket arm.

